Kettlebells For Beginners

Kettlebells are spreading like wild-fire. Still there are many people that don’t know what they are. A typical conversation might go like this…

“I train with kettlebells.”

“Cow bells?”

“No, Kettlebells.”

“Kettleballs?”

“Arghhh,” you scream as you throw a 16kg kettlebell at their face.

They are becoming widely more popular for a few reasons.

1. They work. They can build tremendous strength and endurance. Plus they’re a lot of fun to use. Lots more fun then running on a treadmill.

2. They can make a lot of money. One company, Dragondoor, is basically responsible for bringing kettlebells back into mainstream awareness. This of course led to tons of other competition and these days it’s being watered down.

When you see infomercials with kettlebells you now they’ve hit a commercial peak. This is good in that it may lead more people to effective training. It is bad in that curling a 2 pound pink kettlebell is not effective training no matter how hot the woman in the infomercial may be.

And when you see people actually calling their equipment ‘kettleballs’ you have to wonder if its worth it.

Anyway, coming back from my rant I wanted to give you a few details on why you should get started with kettlebells.

To start with I would buy one. Just one. I got my start with a 16kg on 35lb. kettlebell. That’s the recommended starting weight for most men. Women should go with half that. After you’ve gotten use to that weight and enjoy it then you can invest in the next size or several more. I personally own 16 kettlebells now.

As far as price is concerned there are some cheaper and more expensive kettlebells on the market. Understand with a quality kettlebell it’s a one time investment that you can reap the rewards of your entire life. And you do get what you pay for. Many companies produce quality kettlebells. However there are a few that do not, which results in imbalanced (and probably incorrect) weights, an uneven handle and other problems. If you go with anything but the cheapest out there you should be good to go.

Now how do you get started? Lifting kettlebells is not rocket science though some may make it out to be. Yes, in all sorts of weightlifting and exercise you should have an idea of what to do and how to move, but it doesn’t need to be made super complicated.

I was fine getting started with books and DVD’s from reputable sources that showed the correct technique. Was I perfect? No, but you won’t be perfect when you start even if you have the best instructor ever. All you need to begin is decent, safe technique and you can start swinging and any other kettlebell exercise you want. Overtime and with added instructor you will improve. How far you go with it is of course up to you.

If you aren’t already I encourage you to get started with kettlebells. I hope this short article may help you in doing that.

About The Author

Logan Christopher runs Legendary Strength. Check it out for more details on kettlebell training like this article on the kettlebell snatch.